Badminton: Kidambi Srikanth leads India’s young brigade at US Open 2025

India’s badminton hopes at the US Open 2025 rest on a blend of experience and youth, with veteran shuttler Kidambi Srikanth returning to competitive action to lead the charge in Iowa, as the tournament gets underway this Tuesday. 

Fresh off a runner-up finish at the Malaysia Masters — a historic feat as he became only the second male player ever to reach a BWF Super 500 final from the qualifiers — Srikanth is brimming with momentum. Seeded eighth at the US Open, the 50th-ranked Indian will begin his campaign against England’s Harry Huang, currently ranked 77th in the world.

Joining Srikanth in the men’s singles are rising stars Ayush Shetty and Priyanshu Rajawat, seeded fourth and sixth, respectively. With Shetty ranked 34th and Rajawat just behind at 37th, both are looking to solidify their place among the world’s elite.

The Indian men’s singles lineup is further bolstered by Tharun Mannepalli, Rithvik Sanjeevi, and qualifiers Chirag Sen, BM Rahul Bharadwaj, and Darshan Pujari.

In the women’s draw, 49th-ranked Aakarshi Kashyap leads the Indian contingent, but all eyes are on 18-year-old Anmol Kharb. The teenager, currently world No. 63, continues to rise rapidly and is tipped as one of India’s most promising prospects. The women's singles team also includes Tanvi Sharma, Tanya Hemanth, and Shriyanshi Valishetty, with Ira Sharma making the cut through qualifying.

India’s best medal hopes in doubles could come from Hariharan Amsakarunan and Ruban Kumar Rethinasabapathi, who are seeded third in men’s doubles. They are joined by multiple Indian pairs, including Dingku Singh Konthoujam-Amaan Mohammad and Abinash Mohanty-Ayush Pattanayak, while four more duos come in from qualifying.

In the women’s doubles, India has a single pair: Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, seeded eighth and carrying the weight of the nation’s expectations in the category.

But the most exciting prospect lies in the mixed doubles, where top seeds Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto enter the draw as favourites. The pair reached the semifinals of the German Open earlier this year and have shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season. Their chemistry on the court and recent form make them strong contenders for the title.

Picture Courtesy: IANS